Results 2,441-2,460 of 2,569 for speaker:Peter Fitzpatrick

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Tackling Obesity: Discussion with Operation Transformation (14 Feb 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I mean that every opportunity one gets is unbelievable. Since "Operation Transformation" was broadcast there has been an increase in people taking up exercise. As I drive home to Dundalk this evening I will see an incredible number of people outside walking, running and taking their dogs for a walk. Any type of exercise is beneficial. One does not have to just do walking. One can cycle,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Accident and Emergency Services (14 Feb 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: To ask the Minister for Health the actions taken to tackle overcrowding and the use of trolleys in the accident and emergency department in Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, County Louth; the impact of these measures [7565/13]

Promissory Notes Arrangement: Motion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I have four minutes and only just started. It could not be the case that my time is exhausted. Mr. Peter Brown of the Irish Institute of Financial Trading has stated it is a stunningly good deal and that the terms agreed are quite amazing. Mr. Karl Whelan who is regarded as the expert on promissory notes is on record as stating, "This seems about as good as we could get ... I think this...

Promissory Notes Arrangement: Motion (Resumed) (13 Feb 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The deal done between the Government, the ECB and the Central Bank of Ireland is the first step in the right direction. The State will no longer have to pay €3.1 billion every year on 31 March. Thanks to the savings delivered as part of the deal, the budgetary adjustment for next year will be €1 billion less. Furthermore, we will have to borrow €20 billion less in the...

Promissory Notes: Motion (Resumed) [Private Members] (6 Feb 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Ireland settled the first two tranches of €3.1 billion in 2011 and 2012. The first tranche was paid in full on 31 March 2011, while the 2012 payment was settled by way of a long-term Government bond. That means the State did not pay the €3.1 billion in cash in March 2012. The bond was a complicated arrangement financed with the Bank of Ireland. While this arrangement reduced...

National Lottery Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (6 Feb 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The national lottery was set up by the National Lottery Act 1986 and has been run under licence by An Post since. An Post holds the licence, which was put out to tender in late 2001 under a previous Government; the company won the competition held between 1999 and 2001. This National Lottery Bill is intended to replace the National Lottery Act 1986 and has a number of purposes. It will...

Committee on Health and Children: Select Sub-Committee on Health: Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Committee Stage (5 Feb 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: It was very important for the Minister to retain power to introduce regulation of sales promotion devices introduced by manufacturers, for example, happy hour promotions or offers such as three packets of cigarettes for the price of two. I am glad these provisions do not come within minimum pricing regulations and delighted the Minister has included such measures in the Bill

Health Service Executive (Governance) Bill 2012 [Seanad]: Second Stage (30 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The programme for Government commits to the eventual dissolution of the HSE as the health care reform programme advances. It will be replaced with a system of directorates headed by a director general. The directorate structure is intended to be an internal measure pending the ultimate dissolution of the HSE which will require further legislation. The Bill is, therefore, intended as a...

Death of Garda Adrian Donohoe: Expressions of Sympathy (29 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I am not speaking on behalf of the Government or Fine Gael or for myself in my role as a Louth Deputy. I just happen to be a Deputy for County Louth, but what I am about to say comes from me personally. I am a proud Louth man and a proud Irish man. I am proud not only to have known Adrian Donohoe but to have considered him a friend. The recent cold-blooded murder of Adrian transcends...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Independent Study into Ward Staffing Levels: Discussion with INMO (24 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Chairman, you might not be too happy about it but I would like to talk for a few seconds about the ban on nursing places.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Independent Study into Ward Staffing Levels: Discussion with INMO (24 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: Despite the moratorium on recruitment in the HSE, some 720 nurses have been employed in the past two years and 186 of those have been in the mental health area. The salary in the United Kingdom for nurses starts at £25,000. New graduates are being offered posts at up to €25,000. The most important thing at the moment is the health of the patient. The HSE employes 35,000...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Independent Study into Ward Staffing Levels: Discussion with INMO (24 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: When one adds up the premium payment and the allowance, it takes the figure up to €25,000.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Independent Study into Ward Staffing Levels: Discussion with INMO (24 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I do not want to see any of our graduate nurses going to the UK or Australia.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Independent Study into Ward Staffing Levels: Discussion with INMO (24 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: This is a good initiative and they have an opportunity to get experience in our country.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Independent Study into Ward Staffing Levels: Discussion with INMO (24 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I will start by saying that the nurses in our hospitals do a fantastic job.

Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (23 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to discuss the Euro Area Loan Facility (Amendment) Bill 2013. The purpose of the legislation is to enable Ireland to confirm acceptance of the third amendment to the Greek loan facility as part of the proposed new programme of assistance for Greece. It is to facilitate in the public interest the financial stability of the European Union and the safeguarding of the...

Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Bill 2012: Second Stage (Resumed) (17 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: The Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Bill 2012 proposes to implement the recommendations of the constituency commission’s report 2012. In essence, this means reducing the number of Deputies from 166 to 158, the number of Dáil constituencies from 43 to 40 and redrawing many constituency boundaries. This may not be great news for everyone in the House. I have...

Public Health (Tobacco) (Amendment) Bill 2013: Second Stage (Resumed) (16 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome the opportunity to discuss this Bill. An arrangement between the Department and the Irish Tobacco Manufacturers' Advisory Committee, ITMAC, was in place for more than 30 years whereby a weighted average price was calculated. This was based on sales volumes data and retail prices to year end each year. Maintaining high cigarette prices to deter smoking for reasons of health...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Implementation of Government Decision Following Expert Group Report into Matters Relating to A, B and C v. Ireland (10 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I must mention again the survey from the three Dublin maternity hospitals, namely, the Rotunda, the Coombe and Holles Street hospitals, which found that from 1980 to 2011, two deaths occurred by suicide, both of which occurred after delivery, out of a total of 680,000 live births. This is to prove that doctors are doing their best to protect both mother and child. Many families in Ireland...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Health and Children: Implementation of Government Decision Following Expert Group Report into Matters Relating to A, B and C v. Ireland (10 Jan 2013)

Peter Fitzpatrick: I welcome all the witnesses here today. I am sure we all agree that Irish hospitals are among the safest and best in the world and that our doctors, nurses and midwives do a great job. The Catholic Church stated it has never thought the life of a child in the womb should be preferred to that of the mother and that the mother and child are two patients and I ask Dr. Jones to elaborate on...